New Nanoscale Up-converting Photoluminescent Materials for Passive Safety Visual Systems. The demand for safety and security products is growing as the importance of providing an environment safer from natural, accidental or man-made threats increases in the community. Life safety applications in buildings and work environments as well as trains and planes for example are dependent upon the ability for non-powered passive systems to give efficient visual guidance in dangerous dark and smoke fill ....New Nanoscale Up-converting Photoluminescent Materials for Passive Safety Visual Systems. The demand for safety and security products is growing as the importance of providing an environment safer from natural, accidental or man-made threats increases in the community. Life safety applications in buildings and work environments as well as trains and planes for example are dependent upon the ability for non-powered passive systems to give efficient visual guidance in dangerous dark and smoke filled environments. This project will provide a practical demonstration of the successful implementation of nanotechnology to smaller Australian companies where it will overcome significant drawbacks in current manufacturing and yield new products which are activated in darkness by infrared radiation.Read moreRead less
Understanding nanostructure in lead-containing piezoceramics - the key to improved and environmentally-friendly materials. Lead-containing piezoelectric ceramics form the basis of multi-billion dollar industries, posing an increasingly serious environmental threat due to the toxicity of lead. By obtaining a detailed understanding of how their properties arise from their nanoscale structure and chemistry, our research will lead to improvements in existing materials and aid the quest for environme ....Understanding nanostructure in lead-containing piezoceramics - the key to improved and environmentally-friendly materials. Lead-containing piezoelectric ceramics form the basis of multi-billion dollar industries, posing an increasingly serious environmental threat due to the toxicity of lead. By obtaining a detailed understanding of how their properties arise from their nanoscale structure and chemistry, our research will lead to improvements in existing materials and aid the quest for environmentally-friendly alternatives. We will use a methodology for the elucidation of local structure and dynamics in which we are world leaders. The project will further enhance our standing in the field, provide excellent research training for students and early-career researchers and highlight the power and potential of Australia's new Synchrotron and OPAL research reactor.Read moreRead less
Magnetic liquid marbles: a new droplet manipulation technique for channel-free microfluidics. The project will explore the feasibility of developing a new droplet-manipulation strategy by using magnetically responsive liquid marbles capable of hosting various liquid droplets. It will significantly advance the development of a new generation of microfluidic devices: magnetic field-actuated channel-free droplet microfluidics.
Exploration of new catalyst materials for hydrogen/air fed proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Fuel cell technology is the most critical technology for the hydrogen economy. Hydrogen/air fed fuel cells can provide pollution-free power sources for vehicles and distributed power generation. A breakthrough in fuel cell technology using hydrogen as fuel will supply us with clean and sustainable energy sources, dramatically improve our environment, and maintain national energy security. The success ....Exploration of new catalyst materials for hydrogen/air fed proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Fuel cell technology is the most critical technology for the hydrogen economy. Hydrogen/air fed fuel cells can provide pollution-free power sources for vehicles and distributed power generation. A breakthrough in fuel cell technology using hydrogen as fuel will supply us with clean and sustainable energy sources, dramatically improve our environment, and maintain national energy security. The success of fuel cell technology will also significantly reduce our dependence on oil. This research project is expected to establish local expertise, and scientific and industrial know-how on fuel-cell technology.Read moreRead less
Bio-inspired electro catalysts for gas reduction reactions: towards electrochemical ammonia production under ambient conditions. This project will develop solutions to replace the current energy inefficient method for ammonia production, which are a significant contribution to Greenhouse Gas emissions. A more energy efficient system will be developed from a new class of composite gas-reduction catalysts integrated into functional electrochemical cells.
Improvement of critical current density in MgB2 wires and tapes and Y-Ba-Cu-O coated conductors. The technology of superconducting wires and tapes has emerged as one of the most important basic engineering technologies, which can create technical innovation and improvement in the quality of life in the fields of electric power, energy, machinery, transportation and the environment in the 21st century. The aim of the proposed program is to develop magnesium diboride superconductor and YBCO coated ....Improvement of critical current density in MgB2 wires and tapes and Y-Ba-Cu-O coated conductors. The technology of superconducting wires and tapes has emerged as one of the most important basic engineering technologies, which can create technical innovation and improvement in the quality of life in the fields of electric power, energy, machinery, transportation and the environment in the 21st century. The aim of the proposed program is to develop magnesium diboride superconductor and YBCO coated conductors by using novel nano-precursor powders. Superconducting tapes doped with nano-sized powders are expected to show enhancement in flux pinning properties. The expected outcome is the capability to produce a new generation of superconductors having high performance at low cost.Read moreRead less
Study on the deposition of superconducting REBCO film via chemical route for coated conductor. Second generation high temperature superconducting (HTS) coated conductor is the essential raw material for the next generation of high-efficiency electric power application such as power transmission cables, transformers, motors and generators, and grid protection devices (FCL) as well as medical, transportation, and high energy physics. The high efficiency and compactness of HTS devices promises grea ....Study on the deposition of superconducting REBCO film via chemical route for coated conductor. Second generation high temperature superconducting (HTS) coated conductor is the essential raw material for the next generation of high-efficiency electric power application such as power transmission cables, transformers, motors and generators, and grid protection devices (FCL) as well as medical, transportation, and high energy physics. The high efficiency and compactness of HTS devices promises great savings in energy and reduction in CO2 emissions, which is vital for decreasing greenhouse effects.Read moreRead less
First Principles for Development of High Temperature Superconducting Wires. Significant advances in research of high temperature superconductors (HTS) have been made in the past decade. However, the full commercialisation of HTS devices has not yet been achieved because the levels of electrical performance remain just below those required for technical and commercial success. In order to secure the future of HTS it will be essential to increase the critical current density, reduce the AC losses ....First Principles for Development of High Temperature Superconducting Wires. Significant advances in research of high temperature superconductors (HTS) have been made in the past decade. However, the full commercialisation of HTS devices has not yet been achieved because the levels of electrical performance remain just below those required for technical and commercial success. In order to secure the future of HTS it will be essential to increase the critical current density, reduce the AC losses and lower the cost. The objective of the proposed cluster of projects is to provide new insights into fundamental HTS materials properties such as critical current density, flux pinning, flux dynamics and AC losses by focussing on the complex interplay between physics, fabrication and materials issues. The knowledge gained will make possible improvements in the development of HTS conductors.Read moreRead less
Fabrication and Characterisation of Magnesium Diboride Superconducting Wires. The newly discovered superconductivity at 40K in magnesium diboride (MgB2) opens a technical window to a range of electric power applications, previously thought accessible only with high temperature superconductors. The aim of the proposed project is to investigate the fabricability and properties of MgB2 superconducting wires using a number of processing techniques established in previous low temperature and high tem ....Fabrication and Characterisation of Magnesium Diboride Superconducting Wires. The newly discovered superconductivity at 40K in magnesium diboride (MgB2) opens a technical window to a range of electric power applications, previously thought accessible only with high temperature superconductors. The aim of the proposed project is to investigate the fabricability and properties of MgB2 superconducting wires using a number of processing techniques established in previous low temperature and high temperature superconductors. The expected outcome is to have a MgB2 conductor that has a higher performance in a field than niobium-titanium (NbTi) alloy, a higher operating temperature (up to 20K), but at a cost less than currently commercial NbTi wire.Read moreRead less
Integrated composite electrodes for electrochemical synthesis of ammonia. This project aims to develop multifunctional composite electrodes for electrochemical synthesis of ammonia from water, nitrogen gas and renewable energy under ambient conditions. Hydrophobic subnanometre water channels will be integrated with an electrocatalyst to control supply of water as vapour, thereby effectively minimising hydrogen evolution reaction and enabling high-efficiency ammonia synthesis. Expected outcomes i ....Integrated composite electrodes for electrochemical synthesis of ammonia. This project aims to develop multifunctional composite electrodes for electrochemical synthesis of ammonia from water, nitrogen gas and renewable energy under ambient conditions. Hydrophobic subnanometre water channels will be integrated with an electrocatalyst to control supply of water as vapour, thereby effectively minimising hydrogen evolution reaction and enabling high-efficiency ammonia synthesis. Expected outcomes include enhanced capacity in developing electrochemical reaction systems, and new fundamental knowledge of electrocatalyst design and reaction engineering. This should provide significant economic and environmental benefits by developing a sustainable manufacturing technology to transform the century-old ammonia industry.Read moreRead less